Richard “Dick” E. Harmening, 89 of Franklin, Ind., passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, May 24, 2025.
He was born on February 9, 1936 in Greenfield, Indiana to Earl Harmening and Lora Updegrove Harmening. He married Katherine Rebecca Bailey on December 27, 1958 at the Citadel Chapel in Charleston, South Carolina.
Dick was a 1954 graduate of Greenfield High School where he played basketball, football and baseball and was a 1958 graduate of The Citadel where he excelled in basketball and football. Dick served honorably in the U.S. Army Medical Corp as a Captain.
He is survived by his wife, Kitty Harmening and his brother-in-law, George Carnegie Bailey (Susan) of Lexington, South Carolina. He was preceded in passing by his parents and son, Scott Bailey Harmening.
He was employed as a Physics Teacher for over forty years. Dick was an assistant coach at George Washington High School from 1960-1967 under Hall of Famer Jerry Oliver where they won the State Championship in 1965. From 1968-1979, he was the head coach at Franklin Community High School where he coached the 1973 & 1974 Franklin teams to consecutive Final Four appearances, marking the most successful era in Franklin boys’ basketball since the Wonder Five won their last title in 1922. In 1973, he was named Co-Coach of the Year in the South Central Conference. During that time, three of his players were awarded the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award. He also won six sectionals, two regionals, and two semi-states while at Franklin. From 1984 to 1992 Dick was the head coach at Center Grove High School where he won four sectionals and was named Coach of the Year of the old Central Suburban Athletic Conference in 1989. Dick was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.
Visitation for family and friends will be on Saturday, May 31st, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, in Franklin with a Celebration of Dick’s life on Saturday, May 31st at 1:00 p.m. at the church. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Cemetery in Franklin, Indiana. Flinn and Maguire Funeral Home in Franklin is assisting the family with arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, Franklin, Indiana 46131 or to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, 408 Trojan Lane, New Castle, Indiana 47362.